AmpersandBoxTTRPG
AmpersandBox is a Table Top Role Playing Game (TTRPG) Podcast and Livestream produced by myself and several friends. We're goofy, we use accents, and we try our best to be entertaining and to have a good time. This has been one of my favorite creative ventures, as I act as Brand Manager and Creative Director, and I look forward to many more years of creating content with these wonderful people. Below you'll find the Brand Guidelines I created, Content I've worked on, and a more detailed story of our beginnings.
Please feel free to contact me directly for more information on this venture.
Thanks!
Typography
The typography for Ampersandbox was tricky to nail down, and these are just the primary few we tend to use. You can also find the fonts; Facon, Avenir, and Wheat Rough occasionally used in our marketing and branded materials.
However, to nail down this primary set I very much followed the "Throw everything at the wall and see what sticks" method. This venture was my first time creating in a role where I had the complete freedom to say exactly what - I - wanted and then present it to my partners to ensure they were on board.
Color Ways
Color is one of my favorite things about Design. I love how a Rich Red can bring out the passion in a piece or how a combination of Orange and Yellow can spark creative energy. And with Ampersandbox I wanted to evoke the feeling of Luxury with the familiarity of what our audience had come to know and expect from Table Top Role Playing Games. As our product is based on the creative license provided by the Wizards of the Coast product, Dungeons and Dragons, I was able to do this by using color variations of the pallet they had previously set forth for their Playable Character Classes for our Secondary color pallet. While our Primary color pallet uses Muted Gold, Off-White, and Off-Black.
This may seem counter-intuitive to use a muted gold for the feel of Luxury, but hear me out. When looking at Luxury branded logos they hardly ever use True Gold. Almost as if using that True Gold color is too Blatantly calling attention to their luxury status. Thus hex code #D6C177 was found. This Gold can truly sparkle when given the right touches, but it doesn't feel gaudy or "Rich". It feels luxurious but humble. A lot like how we try to convey our brand. And it's supported quite nicely by the goofier cartoonish colors used in the secondary pallet.
Logos
Logo work is complicated, simple, bold, and every other adjective under the sun. And for me, it's nothing short of an exciting adventure. When a client gives me their brief, explaining their brand, it's my job to bring their brand to life in the one way that everyone who interacts with the client going forward will see. It puts my work front and center, and that's nothing short of exciting.
For Ampersand, when I spoke with my co-founders we decided we wanted to be a high-quality (Luxurious) podcast that exemplified the feeling of playing through a campaign with your best friends. Often the term "Lovable idiots" was tossed about. As such, it's given me so much freedom with our content. Especially logo's. From the Simplicity of the "[&]" (ampersandbox) Logo, to the western callback of "Two Cowboys One Stream", I truly have no bounds other than "Make this look good". Something I believe I've captured.
Brand Stories
Capturing a Brand story is incredibly important to me. At the end of the day, it's the lifeblood of a brand, it's how you connect with your Audience beyond your product. Above is the story of Ampersandbox, it's the story that humanizes the people, including myself, on screen. An Audience could enjoy the show regardless of this, but having this available for your customers is an extra mile that not every brand or podcast walks and sets you apart from your competitors.
Examples of My Work
